Become a Cool Teenager: Smartypants Edition
by Painting Stories
Summary: How to befriend the most popular has-been, nearly break the cutest guy's nose, upgrade from the school's mascot to the volleyball star player... you can find it all in here! KG/JH, MB/DH
1. Prologue

**Prologue.**

**Always wanted to be cool and popular but can't, since your nerdiness is in the way? Well, then. Fret no more! **_**Become a Cool Teenager (Smartypants Edition)**_** has arrived. In this manual on how to be cool (for smartypants), we'll give you a list of effective ways to become that popular person you've always wanted to be. We'll use our model, Kristen Gregory, who certainly followed our rules by the book, to show you how successful you'll become after following our instructions. **

A writer will not tell you that he has dedicated so much time on a book to become an astronaut. An actress will obviously not say that she practiced her lines in front of a mirror every single day to turn into a math teacher. And I'm 100% sure that a doctor won't have studied more than four years to be a make-up artist.

So whenever people ask me, after finding out that I've been playing volleyball for my entire life, what position I play in and tell them that I'm actually the school's mascot, I understand their bewildered expressions. I mean, sometimes, I don't understand it myself. But when I first began to play the sport at seven, I hadn't counted on the fact that a random guy had chosen my mom to be his prom date instead of my future high school coach. And that because of that, whenever she heard the last name _Gregory_, she would get this look of pure hatred in her cold, blue eyes. Nobody warned me that my coach would be so unforgivable, that she would try to make my life miserable for the rest of my high school years.

But then again, life is known for throwing unexpected curves at you. And no, I'm not talking about the fact of signing up for the volleyball team without knowing that my future coach hated my guts. I'm talking about the fact that when a scout from Octavian Academy came looking for a good volleyball player, Coach Campbell had recommended me. I mean, she'd never seen me play.

Let's rewind a bit.

On April 27, 2012, exactly four months ago, Abner Double High's Bears would be playing against Westchester High's Tigers. And whenever there is a game, there will always be a school mascot –me. So that night, I put on my stinky and warm costume and prepared myself to get the crowd in the mood to cheer for our team.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the loudspeaker crackled to life.

All of my teammates turned to look at me, expectant smiles on their faces.

"Get ready, Kris," one of them urged.

Another gave me thumbs up. "Make people feel the need to be on the Bear's side, even when they haven't seen them play."

I gently pulled on the short, synthetic hairs my bear mask was made of. I smiled at my team, gulping as I felt the familiar butterflies settle in my stomach. I'd already been the school mascot for months, so I was already used to it. But you never know what to expect. I mean, I once got a shoe and a smoothie thrown at my way at the same time –courtesy of the rival team.

"Please welcome," the loudspeaker continued. "Abner Double Day's Bears!"

I stuffed my face in the mask before letting myself be pushed out of the locker room and into the volleyball inside court. I instantly began to bob my head, both my arms in the air, as the crowd began to cheer. I ran around, jumping and twirling (the usual) before high-fiving our cheerleaders. Both the boys' and girls' volleyball teams here in Westchester are a big deal. The crowd's cheers suddenly became roars as my teammates emerged, running and clapping. There was a mixture of booingand cheering in the stands, but the screams of support from our school overshadowed the other school's attempt at taking down our team. Our cheerleaders began their routine, and I quickly joined along, doing the steps I was told to do and clapping when the cheerleader's began to twirl in the air.

A sharp whistle cut the loud roars, signaling the game's beginning. I watched with longing as the ball was bounced off in the air several times before my team scored. I cheered, feeling proud for my teammates. Whenever I don't play in a game (meaning, always) I get a mixture of happiness for my teammates, jealousy and longing to play which I usually have to hide in order to be a good mascot.

A brunette cheerleader approached me.

"Christina, right?" she asked.

"Kristen," I corrected, trying to smile before realizing she couldn't see me.

"Sorry," she apologized, not really meaning it. "Anyways, Coach Campbell is looking for you. She's waiting for you in the principal's office and wants you to arrive wearing your uniform."

I frowned, weighing on the possibilities of the coach wanting to murder me that night.

"Your mom's there, too."

I sighed, relieved, before thanking her and running toward the lockers. I gladly took off my costume and slipped into my uniform, another act of cruelty from Coach Campbell. She knew I'd never get to use it. I took off the elastic band in my hair, letting blonde waves fall over my shoulders. I rapidly made my way to the principal's office, hoping that she was going to inform me that I was finally going to play and needed to sign up or something like that.

I knocked Principal Hastings's doors before being let in. Once there, my green eyes widened as I spotted my mom, her face stained with tears.

"Mom," I whispered, running toward her. I racked my brain for anything I could've done to get me expelled, but being the school's number one goody-two-shows, I found none. My heart pounded as my mind flashed to the day when I'd been informed about my dad's passing away, and expected some kind of news worse than those. "W-what's wrong?"

My worries disappeared as my mom grinned, shaking her head. "I'm so proud of you."

I turned around, noticing Principal Hastings's grin and Coach Campbell's mischievous smirk. My gaze quickly shifted toward an unfamiliar tall, model-like woman in her mid-thirties. Noticing my gaze, she smiled, slightly lifting her chin.

"Kristen Gregory, I'm Principal Burns. Octavian Academy's principal," she introduced. She waved my documents in the air. "You should be thankful of all those straight A's, your clean record, your participation on local knowledge bowls and your amazing performance on your school's volleyball team."

I'm sure that confusion was written all over my face. "P…performance?"

"Oh, she's so modest," Coach Campbell giggled.

"We need modest students in the academy," Principal Burns told my coach before turning to look at me. "Which is one of the many reasons why I'm so proud to announce the volleyball scholarship we're giving to you."

My mouth dropped open. My mom sobbed as Principal Hastings nodded.

"Even though I'm happy for you," he told me. "You'll certainly be missed."

I looked around, bewildered, not really knowing what to say.

Principal Burns sat up straighter. "The moment I stepped foot on this school, your coach couldn't help but tell me how apt your were for that scholarship."

My mom patted my back, giving me thumbs up.

"You won't have to pay a cent." Principal Burns stood up from her seat, handing me a folder. "Here is all the information you need of the school. I hope to see you at 7:15 a.m. on August 27, ready to discover our wonderful system. If you decline this offer, which I'm certain you won't, please contact my assistant, Adele. Now, I have some business to attend. Congratulations, Kristen. I'm sure you'll make a great addition to the school."

Still shocked, I couldn't do anything other than nod slowly. Coach Campbell volunteered to escort Principal Burns out of the school, leaving my mother, my future former principal and me.

"We should go and celebrate. I'm 101% sure that our family will be so happy to hear the news," my mom breathed out, standing up. She gathered her stuff. "I guess Clarissa recommended you as a way to apologize for all the hardships she's made you endure."

As we said good-bye to Principal Hastings, I couldn't help but remember Coach Campbell's smirk. Something told me that she hadn't recommended me to apologize, but rather to get rid of me.

* * *

**A/N:** First and foremost, this story is disclaimed. Also, I'm a first-timer at writing... and english isn't my first language. So please, excuse any mistakes. _However, _I'm sure a tip or two won't hurt :D So if you know if it's "thumbs up" or "thumbs-up", or if you spotted any mistake(s), I'll gladly accept any tip. Now, before I end this note, I want to thank you for reading this. Hopefully, you liked it. I'll try to update as soon as I can :)


	2. Everybody Wants to Rule the World

**Chapter 1.**

**Now, the first step to become cool is to have a friend who is already considered cool. But since you're a nerd, that task might be a little too hard. Or well, loads harder than it should be for any other **_**normal**_** person. I mean, you'll certainly look like even more of a loser begging the cool crowd to let you hang out with them. So instead of complicating your road to coolness, find a simpler way. In other words, befriend the has-been.**

Octavian Academy was the opposite of what I imagined. For months, I'd been having nightmares about students bullying me, laughing at me because of my school mascot reputation and making my life miserable. But as I said before, the students' reaction was way more different than what I imagined it to be.

They completely ignored my existence.

I thanked the cafeteria lady before grabbing my food and walking away from the large line. I paused for a moment, quietly looking around the cafeteria. Now, there were two main feelings I got when I found out that making friends would be harder than Coach Campbell's head. One, having previously embarrassed myself in front of people I wanted to know, I was thankful for it. I usually like to observe things first before acting on them, and a few weeks of being invisible would let me know what kind of students I would be mingling with until I graduate. Now, the second feeling was one of worry –after learning of how fast germs travel, eating in the school's toilet for three weeks didn't seem so easy as they made it to be in the movies. I'd have to find a place to eat.

As if on cue, an empty, clean table by the window on the end of the room caught my eye. Relieved, I made my way through the elegant cafeteria, inspecting my surroundings. I felt as if I was in a prestigious restaurant rather than in a school's cafeteria. The floors were made of shiny mahogany, which made the round tables look even more elegant than they did alone. The roof's cream color gave the cafeteria a bright aura, functioning the same way in which the windows did.

I sat down, pushing a strand of loose hair from my ponytail behind my ear. I observed the tables in front of me, realizing that I had a perfect view of everything –and how the students were clearly divided, which I thought only happened in the movies. Most of the tables were an assortment of small, tight groups, and the rest were crowded by people who I assumed weren't either popular or unpopular… maybe a bit of both. There were only two tables that seemed to outshine the rest. One was filled with boys, and the other with girls. Most of those kids were in my class, and by the way I noticed they behaved, I could tell they were considered to be the in crowd.

The large doors to the room opened, and in came a confident-looking brunette. The school's uniform –which consisted of a white button-down that could either be cap sleeved or long sleeved, and which should always be tucked under the navy blue pleated skirt –was accessorized to her like. Her tie was a little too loose, and instead of the black loafers we were required to use, she had on a pair of suede, black pumps. I wasn't a huge fan of the entire high heels and school uniform combo, but she could pull it off. Maybe it was the fact that her styled glossy, soft curls made her look like she just stepped out from a New York high-class department store window.

Except for the fact that she was about to blow everything off.

Her chin was lifted up in the air as she strutted down the room, making it impossible to see where she was heading to. I'm pretty sure that if she'd been walking normally, she would've noticed the messenger bag in front of her. She would've certainly noticed the way one of her heels entangled itself to the bag's strap, and she would've definitely not fallen face-flat on the ground.

I grimaced as her slightly turn-up nose made contact with the hard ground. All of a sudden, my surrounding were filled with an amused silence. I could hear some stifled giggles, the gasps of shock and amusement, and of course, I could see the satisfied smirks on the popular table's faces. Guess she wasn't so loved within the in-crowd.

I bit my lip, not really knowing what to do, when she bounced right back on her feet and quickly resumed her strut. It was then when I realized she was heading toward my table. Now that I could see her more clearly, I couldn't help but notice the _I-Know-Everything-About-You_ glint in her amber eyes. The everlasting smirk in her glossed lips made that impression even stronger.

She stopped in front of me and sat down, carefully retrieving a granola bar and a bottle of water from her bag. She set it on the table before giving me a full view of her smirk.

"Kristen Gregory, the scholarship kid and former school mascot," she announced, unwrapping her granola bar.

From what I understood, nobody knew about my scholarship or my previous school mascot status.

"How did you know?" I asked, trying to hide the surprise in my tone.

The girl smiled. "Please, it would be the end of the world if I wasn't the first to know everything."

I nodded, pretending to understand.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," she told me, sipping water. "Friendships are built by your darkest secrets, after all."

"Darkest secrets?"

"If word got out about your true identity, you would be instantly pushed down the social ladder. And I'm not talking about the scholarship. I'm talking about being the school mascot."

"Oh."

The brunette pressed her lips together. "Yeah, you really blew it by becoming a mascot. I'm not sure if it's considered cool to be one in public schools, but here in the academy we don't even bother to have one. Not even the biggest loser could be reduced to such a level."

I smiled wobbly. "I wonder what level I'm on, then."

Instead of a smirk, the girl smiled. "Don't worry, you're not so far down. I'm Massie Block, by the way."

"Kristen… though you already know that."

"And a lot more than that," Massie murmured. "Judging by the way you acted today in Mr. Fitz's math class, I'm guessing you're very smart. And the way you're wearing your uniform, all tidy and nice, makes me sure that you're a goody-two-shoes."

"I'm that easy to read, huh?" I breathed out, slightly chuckling.

"Very," Massie told me. "But your personality is why I'm here."

I frowned, suddenly curious.

She pointed at the girls' popular table. "See that trio over there?"

"Of course."

"The Tom Cruise female lookalike is Layne Abeley, the dumb blonde is Olivia Ryan and the 'exotic beauty' is Alicia Rivera. They're the thirties, since according to everyone, they get a ten for beauty. Last year they were the Freshmen Forties… until they decided that I was too good for them and dethroned me, turning Alicia, or Lady Airhead as I prefer to call her, into their queen bee," Massie finished bitterly. She looked up at me, a challenging look written all over her face. "But you, Einstein, will help me reach my goal."

I didn't even bother to reply, since I'd already predicted what her goal would be.

"We're both going to take Alicia Rivera and her pair of minions down," Massie told me, her smirk slowly returning to her face.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for all the feedback! You don't know how much it encouraged me to keep writing this story. Now, I just wanted to see if any of you picked up the Pretty Little Liars reference in this chapter. It's kind of small, but a PLL fan is sure to spot it! Also, updates might not be as quick as this one. My school loves homework, and my teachers, as nice as they might be, are also very strict. So I'm not sure when I'll have the time to write the next chapter.

Once again, thank you :3 This chapter's title is inspired off the wonderful song by Tears for Fears, also covered by Relient K (you get virtual chocolate if you know which bands I'm talking about). Until next time!


	3. Hey Now, You're an All Star

**Chapter 2.**

**So you finally befriended the has-been, huh? Too bad there's still a lot to work to do… for example, we've got to work on those pesky enemies of hers. You should be aware that you **_**will**_** bump into them sooner or later, and that they'll probably try to ruin your day. And chances are, they will succeed. That, among many others, is one of the reasons why you can't feel any kind of remorse when plotting against them. **

For the entire day, Massie's proposal kept ringing in my ears.

I had never imagined that something like this would happen to me. When I first arrived to Octavian Academy, I thought that I'd live a quiet life with a few friends, playing volleyball and preparing myself for college –just like I spent my freshmen year at Abner Double Day High. But just like I didn't expect to be tormented by Coach Campbell back at my old school, I did not expect some random girl showing up and, after explaining how she knows everything about me, going on and on about some plan that involves me to declare social war at school. And I wasn't about to risk declining her offer, especially after she informed me that my former status could make me the school's bullies' target.

Massie hadn't exactly threatened to reveal my previous identity to the entire school if I declined, but still. I wasn't planning on risking it. Though they weren't many, back in Abner Double Day there was this group of kids who gave me a daily reminder on how idiotic I looked twirling around with a bear costume on. And I didn't really enjoy it.

I opened the doors to my Science class, realizing that I was finally in my last school period. Amidst the whole situation, I couldn't help but smile. After the last bell rang, I'd be playing volleyball for the first time in a year. Excitement and anxiousness settled in my stomach as I imagined myself back in front of the net.

"You must be Kristen Gregory."

I blew a few strands of hair away from my eyes just to find a blonde man standing in front of me. "Yes."

The man smiled. "I'm Mr. Harrington, you Science teacher. It's a pleasure to have you in Octavian Academy, especially after hearing of your excellent work on your previous Science classes."

I smiled humbly. "Thank you."

Mr. Harrington smiled back. "Are you, by chance, related to Marsha Gregory?"

Oh, great. Another Coach Campbell. Hesitantly, I nodded. "Yeah… she's my mom."

Mr. Harrington's smile grew. "That isn't anything to worry about. Send her my regards, would you?"

Still a bit skeptical, I nodded.

Mr. Harrington looked around the room, his brown eyes settling on an empty seat on the back. "You can seat there next to Josh, alright?"

I nodded before walking toward my seat. As this Josh came into view, I couldn't help but grimace. I'll admit that he was good-looking. But his hair… his hair was hideous. It was a shade of chocolate brown, which contrasted perfectly with his hazel eyes and tanned skin. It reached the top of his eyes and some strands of hair had to be tucked behind his ears. It wouldn't have been that bad if it weren't for all the hair products that he'd clearly soaked himself in. And not only that, but it had been straightened _and_ blow-dried.

One thing I hate about guys is when they're too vain –especially with their hair. And this guy not only seemed to care too much about his hair, but he also seemed to know he was handsome, which immediately reduced all of the good looks he had.

I sat down, ready to get my notebook out, when an eerie silence surrounded me. Feeling more than one pair of eyes on me, I turned around. Josh and his buddies –one with mismatched colored eyes and another who strangely resembled Mr. Harrington –were looking at me. I noticed that the Thirties (Alicia, Olivia and Layne, just in case you haven't caught up yet) were also staring at me.

I bit my lower lip, not really understanding the situation. "Uh… hi?"

Josh's buddies sort of smiled before turning away and resuming their chat.

Josh, after quickly examining me, nodded. "You're new, right?"

"Mhmm."

"That explains it, then," he murmured, rubbing his chin. In a higher tone of voice, he continued. "Look, since you're new, I'll break it to you nicely."

He stared at me expectantly, as if wanting me to say something.

"Okay?" I said, not really knowing what to answer to his inquiring gaze.

"Only us can seat in this side of the room," he informed. He closed my notebook and grabbed my pens, handing them to me. "We talk about things that an outsider can't really listen to."

The Thirties giggled. I noticed that Alicia was scrutinizing me, as if trying to recognize me.

I grabbed my things, setting them back down on my table. "Mr. Harrington told me that-"

"So what if he told you to seat here?" Josh told me. He got closer to me, smirking. "Good girls aren't really noticed by guys here, you know?"

I narrowed my eyes, wanting to laugh at his stupid reply. I thought those jerk lines were something you only saw in movies.

I could've moved, but there were two things that kept me in my place –one, after what he told me about good girls not getting noticed, if I moved he'd think that I was interested in him. And second, there were no other seats left.

I sighed, slowly shaking my head. "Sorry, there are no seats left."

And with that, I turned away and began writing the day's date.

For two minutes, I was surrounded by a judging silence, which I tried to ignore by jotting the class' syllabus on my notebook.

Alicia broke the awkward silence. "Wait a second."

I glanced at her, just to find her nodding her head with realization.

"Aren't you the girl who was sitting with Massie in lunch?"

I slowly nodded, embracing myself for any mean remark. Josh's group and the Thirties glanced at each other before turning away from each other. I frowned after Alicia gave Josh a mischievous smirk, which he returned with a smile.

Feeling uneasy, I resumed my writing. For a while, we were silent, and I thought that maybe they wouldn't say or do anything to me.

Until…

"Alicia, pass me the water please."

"Of course."

I paid no attention to them. And for a while everything was peaceful, before I heard Alicia fake gasp. The next thing I knew, my notebook, my pens and part of my uniform was soaked in water.

I looked at Josh with an unbelievable expression on my face. He quickly picked up a bottle of Evian water, trying hard not to laugh.

"Sorry, it slipped from my hand when I was about to drink it," he apologized.

From the look on his face, the Thirties's stifled giggles and Josh's friends' smirks, I knew it hadn't been an accident.

A part of me wanted to dump the remaining water on Josh's head. But as you might've guessed, I didn't do that.

"Kristen, are you okay?" I heard my teacher ask.

I glanced at Josh before looking back to Mr. Harrington, my lips set on a tight line. "Yes, I'm fine. May I go to the bathroom and clean up?"

Mr. Harrington glanced worriedly at Josh before nodding. "Go ahead."

"Aww, did Josh make you cry?" I heard Alicia coo silently, which was followed by a chuckle from Josh's part.

I didn't even bother glancing at his disgusting face before walking out of the classroom.

Once outside, I gingerly held my soaked notebook in front of me. Not even the thought of volleyball could raise my mood. I mean, I'd be seating next to that jerk for the entire year. And by the look on his and his friends' faces, they weren't done with me.

Since the bathroom was near the Science classroom, I quickly got to it. Pushing the doors open, I sighed, preparing myself for all the drying I'd have to do. Half my uniform was now soaked in Evian water.

Before I could begin my job, though, a sob broke the piercing silence in the bathroom.

I bit my lower lip, turning to look at the bathroom stalls behind me. Only one was closed. After another sob was emitted from there, I looked down. Guess I hadn't been the only one whose day had been ruined.

Feeling it inappropriate to remain in here while someone was crying, I turned to leave and look for another bathroom.

"Who's there?" a soft voice asked.

I remained frozen in place, not knowing what to answer.

I didn't need to, since the bathroom stall opened and out came a frail-looking blonde. Her skin was pale, her platinum blonde hair reached her shoulders and her bangs nearly covered her swollen eyes.

I pressed my lips together, looking down.

"By the look of your uniform, Alicia didn't spare you either," she sniffled.

I looked up at her. "It wasn't exactly her…"

"Josh, then?" she continued.

"Well… yeah."

The blonde nodded, looking down. "They're like that."

I nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

She began to shake her head bitterly. "Alicia did this just because Mr. DiPaulo congratulated me in art."

She turned around, and I grimaced as a red stain became clear on the back of her skirt. Since it looked as if someone had been trying to wash it off, I knew it was paint. But other people…

"I walked around the school like this for the _entire_ morning. It wasn't until the cafeteria lady told me that I found out. I've been here the whole day, trying to wash it off," the girl complained.

Suddenly, the doors to the bathroom opened, and in came an oblivious Massie. Once she looked up at us, her brows furrowed.

"What in the world happened to you two?" she asked.

"Josh," I told her, pursing my lips as I glanced down at my skirt.

The blonde shrunk back, opening the water faucet as to not look at Massie.

Massie sighed, rolling her eyes. "Claire, I'm not one of them anymore. If you recall, I hate them."

Claire looked up suspiciously.

Massie's lips hinted a smile. "Though I must admit it, you look sort of funny."

Scoffing, both Claire and I turned around.

I heard Massie sigh. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to ruin Alicia."

She walked in between us, turning us around so we could stare at her through the mirror's reflection.

"I'm sure that us three can easily take her down," she stated, smiling with determination at herself.

I looked at the two girls next to me. Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't have felt so comfortable plotting against someone else. But after what they'd done to Claire, possibly others and me… maybe they did deserve a bit of payback.

* * *

**A/N:** Due to the fact that there's no school today, I was able to update! (Even though I'm a bit sick :/). I know that these chapters might be a bit... well, boring, since they're just introductory. Don't worry, after chapter 3, the action will start. Also, thanks for the feedback! Your reviews made my day. And HazelFromBehind, you were right. Mr. Fitz was the PLL reference :P *Hands you a virtual chocolate bar*.

Until next time!

p.s. This chapter's title comes from the song All Star by Smash Mouth (anyone who remembers well Shrek's first movie might recognize the song).


	4. Call It What You Want

**Chapter 4.**

**You're smart, which is why you're probably not used to people bossing you around. I mean, popular students… or well, **_**all**_** the students usually come up to you and ask for your help on homework and stuff. But when you befriend a has-been, you've got to understand that she will more than likely boss you around –but all for the good reasons. Remember, she's the expert here. And if you want to become cool, then follow her orders word by word. Meaning, if she says **_**frog**_**, you jump.**

The whistle blew.

I never thought that I'd be so happy to hear that sound.

"That's it for today, ladies!" Coach Fay exclaimed.

I nodded to no one in particular, glad the class was over. If we had stopped later, I'm afraid that I'd have to be hospitalized for over-exhaustion. All we had done that day was conditioning –hard, tiring conditioning. No passes, no blocks… just running, pushups, crunches, jumping and some other fancy workouts. But as glad as I was that I'd finally finished, I had to admit it, it was nice to be out there in the court doing something other than twirling around in a costume.

"Before you leave," Coach Fay continued. She turned to look at me. "I'd like us all to give a round of applause for our newest addition, who endured without complaining our hard work today. Good job, Gregory."

My teammates, grinning, began to clap and hoot.

I felt the blood rise up to my cheeks. I had to admit it, no one had ever congratulated me that way, other than my mom and my best friends from Abner. But my teammates, much less my coach, congratulating me on a job well done? Ha!

I smiled, not knowing what to do or say.

"We hope to see you on Wednesday," Coach Fay continued. She turned to look at the other girls. "You all did a great job ladies."

And with that, Coach Fay left, making me feel as if I'd found a second home in an outside volleyball court. I looked around, feeling happiness swell up in me. As tired as I was, I couldn't help the feeling of jumping back on the court and begin to practice my forearm passes.

A hand patted my back. I looked up to see Dylan Marvil, the junior captain, smiling down at me.

"So, what did you think?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Tiring, but fun."

Dylan chuckled. "In two weeks we'll begin our usual practices again. But for now… brace for more tiring workouts. See you Wednesday."

I nodded at the mature redhead. After she left to the lockers, I made my way toward the benches in front of the stands, where my bag was. I picked it up and, after strapping it around my shoulders, _Man or Muppet_ ringed out. I quickly took out my phone. Yes, my ringtone is a Muppet song. It used to be _Please Don't Go_ by Mike Posner, but the song had been my ringtone for two years. It was time for a change.

"Hello?"

"Where in the world are you?" Massie's voice boomed, making me grimace. "Claire and I've been waiting in the school's parking lot for _thirty_ minutes."

I pressed my lips together. "Sorry. Coach Fay wanted us to do some extra exercises."

"I don't care," Massie continued. "Even Claire, whose job is to assist teachers, was here on time. And now I want you here in five minutes."

"But I have to change-"

"I don't care how sweaty you are, you'll have to skip the lockers," Massie instructed.

The line went dead.

Sighing, I grabbed my water bottle and, after opening it, began to jog to the parking lot. My legs began to ache, and the tiredness from before began to settle in. I let out a deep breath as I realized that this would be happening often. You know, Massie ordering me around. And for some reason, I'd be following those orders. Probably because of commitment, and maybe because I felt bad for her. It must've sucked being "dethroned", as she put it, by her friends.

Now, there's a lesson in this chapter.

Whenever you run, instead of complaining about being bossed around, look straight ahead. Why? Well, unless you want to run into someone and dump all your water on them, then I suggest you follow my tip.

After bumping into a tall boy, I staggered back, nearly falling on my butt. I looked at my bottle, sighing when I realize that all my water was gone. But as I looked up to see who I'd bumped into, I realized that being thirsty would be the least of my troubles.

Josh Hotz stood there, scowling as he glanced down at his now soaked soccer uniform. Behind him, all of his teammates were either openly cackling or about to do so.

"You have a thing with water, don't you," he angrily muttered, glaring at me.

"An eye for an eye!" Derrick Harrington exclaimed after quickly giving me a cheerful glance. He, as I later found out, along with Cam Fisher, had been with Josh in Science.

"Maybe we should begin to call you the Water Cooling Duo!" Cam exclaimed, which received laughs of agreement.

"I'm so sorry," I told Josh, not really meaning it. After all, he had done the same before. And, unlike me, on purpose. "I've got to go."

And with that, I ran even faster than before.

Once in the parking lot, I was immediately greeted by Massie, who held three shopping bags in her arms. Claire was right behind her, twirling one of her blonde locks around her finger.

"And she finally arrives," Massie exclaimed, holding up her arms. She turned to look at Claire, motioning her to come closer. "Now that you are finally here, I can now reveal my plan."

She handed a shopping bag to Claire and I before continuing.

"Don't open them, yet," Massie instructed. She paused for effect. "Now, while you two were busy with your extracurricular activities, I took the liberty to head to the mall –my thinking place. While drinking some Starbucks coffee, my plan to rule this school once again became even brighter."

Massie glanced at Claire.

"First of all, you'll need a makeover," Massie instructed. "Due to our busy schedules, that will only be possible on a Friday sleepover I'm planning to make a tradition. So after my pilates workout, Claire's teacher assisting and Kristen's volleyball pratice, we'll all head to my house."

Claire and I nodded.

Massie got out a bottle of expensive-looking shampoo. "But that doesn't mean we have to wait until Friday to start our makeovers. Claire?"

"Yes?"

"Your hair needs more gloss," Massie explained, handing her the shampoo. "I want you to begin using this one from now on. And, Kristen."

I looked up at her.

After grabbing a bobby pin from her bag, she walked up to me and pushed back my bangs, securing them with the pin. "Those bangs will need to go."

She untied my hair from the tight ponytail it was in, and grinned. "Much better. Claire, what do you think?"

Claire nodded, her eyes bright. "You're a natural, Massie."

Massie smirked. "Which is why you should be thankful I decided to take you under my wing. Now, open your bags."

Curiously, I looked inside to see what it was before getting it out. As soon as I opened it, the smell of expensive leather filled the air. I picked up a beautiful brown bag. Massie was holding the same one, except that in black, and so was Claire, whose bag was white.

"Those bags will be the group's trademark," Massie told us. "They're limited edition and haven't even appeared in stores yet."

Claire smiled. "Wow, it's so stylish!"

Massie's smirk grew.

"Will you do something about the uniforms, too?" Claire asked, still amazed by the bag.

Massie shook her head. "Nope. I was thinking that to be able to stand out as the alpha of the group, only I should wear the uniform differently. So, please. I don't want to see any of you arrive to school in heels."

I glanced at the bag in my hands, wondering how much it cost.

Massie, as if reading my thoughts, smiled. "Don't worry, my dad got them for free."

"That's so cool!" Claire exclaimed.

"I know," Massie flipped her hair. "Now, to start with the plan."

She paused.

"I'm running for school president."

"What?" I blurted out.

Massie nodded. "Becoming school president will secure my spot as leader. Besides, school presidents are always first to find out about things. And, in order to be a good alpha, I need to be the first to know everything."

I nodded as if I understood her explanation. But in reality, I was still trying to picture Massie giving her acceptance speech.

"But Derrick Harrington's secured to win this year," Claire said uncertainly.

"And?" Massie inquired. "He might currently be more popular than I am, but after my plan's set on motion, he won't."

"And what exactly _is_ the plan?" I asked.

Massie smiled deviously. "The makeover and becoming school president are the plan. And of course, there's also the part of making everybody realize what a female dog Alicia is."

I glanced at her uneasily.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything lame like starting a rumor or something," she scoffed. "Gossip isn't needed to make Alicia a jerk. _However_, convincing is needed to make people think that Alicia is the cause of all their school trouble."

* * *

**A/N:** So from now on, my updates will only be in the weekends. Homework and extracurricular activities are to blame. In other note, I want to thank you all for reading this! I'm glad you guys are liking it :) And as you might see, the action's about to start...

The chapter's title comes from a song by Foster the People, by the way. Until later!


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